'Deadliest Catch' captain to miss season because of bacterial infection in spine

On Deadliest Catch, Captain Keith Colburn revealed that he is not going bairdi crab fishing this season. Colburn is battling osteomyelitis, a serious bacterial infection, in his spine. Colburn described it in layman’s terms: “My back is all f***ed up.”

Colburn said two of his vertebrae look like someone poured battery acid on them. To combat the disease, the captain has to inject antibiotics intravenously everyday.

Between the infection and treatment, he’s unable to perform the grueling duties of captaining a fishing vessel. He appointed his brother, Monte Colburn, captain.

Now it’s up to Monte to bring in 155,000 pounds of bairdi crab in just a week. Monte said, “You know, my brother’s health, critical as it is, it’s not something I’m really in the position to even think about, because these guys are counting on me to go out and fill those tanks with crab, and it ain’t going to be easy.”

Deadliest Catch airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on Discovery.

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